Perfume Buying Advice


 
 
Welcome to Perfume Reviewer

Best Online Shops for Perfume

Buying designer perfumes can be a daunting task as there is always the risk of receiving fake goods. Below we provide a list of some of the best online shops, so you know you will be getting the real thing, and you can make some great savings at the same time! Please note: The top fashion designers often have preferred retailers to which they supply and as a result you may find the brand you are looking for is not always available at some of the discount perfume retailers.

Cheapsmells.com - This site offers an excellent range of top brand perfumes, aftershaves and other skincare products. You'll find the prices are much better than you often pay on the high street and they regularly have some great special offers where you can grab a real bargain. UK Postage is cheap with a special delivery option if you need it in a hurry! Worldwide delivery is also available at a reasonable price. 

PerfumePlusDirect.co.uk - is one of the largest online retailers of fragrance and cosmetic products in the UK. They stock thousands of leading brand fragrances and cosmetics at the best online prices. Low cost UK delivery is available and they also offer Worldwide shipping. 

 Boots.com - The UK’s number one Health & Beauty website. This household name needs no introduction, with shops in most high streets, and their website offers a massive range of products in a wide variety of categories including: Beauty, Fragrance and Health. They regularly offer special offers and discounts. Delivery is only available in the UK, with orders over £45 delivered for Free!

 

DesignerDiscount.co.uk - This no-thrills website has a definite market trader feel to it, but it’s certainly worth a rummage through the pages as you can often find yourself a real bargain! Product lines are constantly changing with a range of designer perfumes, jewellery and clothing on sale. UK delivery is £2.95 and worldwide delivery is available.

 

 Mankind.co.uk is a leading online retailer of male grooming products. These include shaving, skincare and fragrances as well as a good range of gift sets and and other gift ideas. UK delivery is free on orders over £70 and worldwide delivery is also available.

 

DirectCosmetics.co.uk have been selling branded cosmetics and fragrances direct to the public since 1977, with some prices up to 90% off the UK RRP. They stock a good range of designer fragrances for both women and men, as well as skincare, make-up and other toiletries. Postal charges are cheap with delivery available to the UK and most of mainland Europe.

 ExpressChemist.co.uk is an international online pharmacy. They offer a massive range of healthcare and beauty products including over 300 types of perfume at discounted prices. Worldwide shipping is available with the price calculated by weight. 

Slapiton.tv - These are an established online merchant, formed in 2001, selling a varied range of designer beauty products for men and women. They stock numerous designer brands, such as Boss, Chanel, D&G, Dior, JPG, CK, Joop, Estee Lauder and many more, often at up to 70% off the SSP. UK delivery is Free of charge, and shipping is also available Worldwide.

 BeautyExpert.co.uk is an online retailer selling a wide range of skincare, make-up, bath and other beauty products. They stock a good range of fragrances and gift sets that make great presents. UK delivery is free on orders over £70 and worldwide shipping is also available. 

 ThePerfumeSuperstore.co.uk - The Perfume Superstore prides itself on being one of the UK’s top suppliers of Cheap Perfume, discount aftershaves and cheap fragrances. Delivery is reasonably priced, but only available in the UK and Europe.  

 Pharmacy2u.co.uk - Pharmacy2U is the UK’s largest dedicated mail order & internet pharmacy featuring 1000’s of well known health and beauty products many at prices cheaper than the high street. They have a section dedicated to perfumes with discounted leading brands available. FREE UK delivery is offered and worldwide shipping is also available.

 

  Perfume Buying Basics

Are you new to buying perfume and need some help understanding the different perfume terms and types? Check out our advice below!

The Different Types of Fragrances

  • Perfume (also called extract) normally contains 15-40% perfume concentrates. This is the purest form of scented product and is therefore the most expensive.
  • Eau de parfum usually contain between 7-25% perfume concentrates. This is the most popular and common form of perfume that you buy in shops.. It provides a long-lasting fragrance and is normally cheaper than extract perfume.
  • Eau de toilette contains around 5-15% perfume concentrates. These perfumes have a lighter scent that doesn't last as long as the more intense versions. It was originally intended to be a refreshing body splash to help people wake up in the morning.
  • Eau de cologne normally has between 2-5% aromatic compounds. These are normally fresh fragrances made with weakly concentrated perfume.

Fragrance Notes

A perfumes scent can be broken down into 3 specific notes. These are;

  • Top Notes / Head Notes: These are the scents that you smell as soon as you apply a perfume. These are often strong fruity, floral or citrus scents that evaporate quickly. Elizabeth Arden’s 5th Avenue for example has a top note that consists of Lilac, Linden Blossom, Dewy Magnolia, Muguet, Exotic Mandarin and Bergamot .
  • Middle Notes / Heart Notes: These scents form the main body of the perfume. They are often pleasant floral scents, for example Dior’s J’adore has heart notes of Jasmine and rose.
  • Base Notes: These are often rich scents that mixed with the Heart notes make up the main fragrance of a perfume. They are usually not noticeable for at least half an hour after the application of a perfume and can sometimes still be present a day later. An example is Jean Paul Gaultier’s Classique, which has base notes of vanilla and amber.

Fragrance Types

Perfumes are often divided into categories to describe their fragrance types. These types depend on the type of scents that are put into the perfume. The main groups include;

  • Floral: this can be Single Floral if one flower type is used (e.g. the Rose) or Floral Bouquet if a combination of flowers are used.
  • Woody: Perfumes that are dominated by woody scents, often cedar or sandalwood. These can also have mossy scents.
  • Green: The sharp green scent of crushed leaves or fresh-cut grass
  • Citrus or Fruity: Fragrances that contain fruit scents e.g. grapefruit or mandarin.
  • Oriental: perfumes that contain spicy scents, such as oriental resins, night-blooming flowers, vanilla or musk. 
  • Water / Oceanic: Scents that capture soft sea breezes.
  • Leathery: A fragrance that features the scents of honey, tobacco, wood or wood tars in its middle or base notes and a scent that alludes to leather. This is often found in men's fragrances.

Very often a combination of the different Fragrance Types will be used, for example Floral Oriental and Floral Citrus are common scents in perfumes.

Buying Online

When buying perfume online it is always best to check the following details;

  • How long will delivery take? This can vary greatly from site to site, and if you need something in a hurry you may need to pay extra.
  • Returns Policy. This is especially important if you are buying a gift for someone, so be sure to check the websites terms and conditions.
  • Boxes. When buying from discount suppliers some products maybe stocked without their original box. If you are buying a gift, and don't want to look cheap, make sure you get a product that has it's box!
  • Import Taxes / Duty. When buying from overseas you may find that you need to pay extra taxes when the products arrive. It is advisable to check with the company or your national tax revenue authority first.